Somalia

On Tuesday, human rights organization Amnesty International released a report in which it claims that US airstrikes in Somalia have killed 14 civilians and injured 8 more. US airstrikes on the African country have increased under US President Trump. In 2018, 47 airstrikes were carried out, killing 338 members of

UN agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Somalia are warning that US airstrikes on areas controlled by al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda offshoot and the most successful fundamentalist organization in Africa, are exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in the region. Last year, 320,000 people were displaced due to violent events including airstrikes,

In total, 68 countries lost points in their democracy score in 2018, according to the annual Freedom House report. These outnumbered the 50 countries that achieved net gains. In total, 86 (44%) out of a total 195 countries received a “Free” rating, while 59 (30%) were rated “Partly Free,” and

At least 5 Al-Shabaab militants, seemingly demonstrated the deadly resilience of the group, launched an attack against a hotel complex in Nairobi. The 20-hour siege saw 21 people killed (16 Kenyan, 1 British, 1 American, 3 still unknown), aside from the five attackers killed on site. Two accomplices that allegedly

Somalia has declared the top UN official in the country a persona non grata after his publication of a letter questioning the involvement of U.N.-funded Somali security forces in the arrest of an election candidate who had previously defected from al-Shabaab in 2017. The arrest led to a local uproar

As the U.S. draws down resources across the African continent, it has continued its air support for counter al-Shabaab operations in Somalia. Most recently, it conducted six airstrikes, killing over 60 people as part of pre-emptive action against “major terrorist attack.” The remote location of the airstrike has been used

Competition between Al-Shabab and pro-Islamic State groups in Somalia is further stifling economic activity across the area through forced taxation. “Business are paying three taxes today, Al-Shabab taxes, Daesh taxes, and the normal government taxes,” according to the former director of the National Intelligence Agency in Somalia. “If they don’t

Somalia and supporting countries are expressing mixed opinions and confusion about how to respond to an Al-Shabab founder and former number 2 member who defected last year and is now campaigning for a regional presidency position. The candidate has openly discussed his departure from hardline Islamism, but the state is

US involvement in Somalia in 1993 was a part of its optimistic role for a post-Cold War world in which it could ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, combat dictators, build democracies, and watch the world flourish. After a two day battle whose aftermath saw images of dead American soldiers